Environmental Studies Minor

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Director: Abigail A.R. Kula (Science)

The interdisciplinary minor in environmental studies offers students the opportunity to explore the role and responsibilities of the individual and society in causing and addressing environmental problems.

Minor Requirements

18 credits:

BIOL 225 Environmental Science (4) (required for either Focus)
BIOL 398 Independent Study (1-3) , BIOL 450 Undergraduate Research Experience (1-4) , or BIOL 480 Internship (1-4) (required for either Focus)

Students may choose to complete the Environmental Science Focus or the Environmental Values and Policy Focus:

Environmental Science Focus

Students in the Environmental Science Focus will take two environmental science courses with labs, and two environmental values and policy courses.

BIOL 225 - Environmental Science Credits: (4)
BIOL 200 - Invertebrate Zoology Credits: (4)
BIOL 250 - Animal Behavior Credits: (4)
BIOL 312 - Plant Ecology Credits: (4)
BIOL 340 - Conservation Biology Credits: (3)
BIOL 400 - Toxicology Credits: (4)
BIOL 406 - Evolution Credits: (4)
CHEM 210 - Analytical Chemistry Credits: (4)

Environmental Values and Policy Focus

Students in the Environmental Values and Policy Focus will take four environmental values and policy courses.

CJUST 321 - Environmental Crime Credits: (3)
ENGL 388 - Literature and the Environment Credits: (3)
FAAR 220 - Environmental Art Credits: (3)
PHIL 333 - Environmental Philosophy Credits: (3)
PSCI 337 - Environmental Law and Politics Credits: (3)
PSCI 348 - Human Rights Credits: (3)
PSGE 325 - The Politics of Developing Nations Credits: (3)
PSYCH 360 - Environmental Psychology Credits: (3)
SOC 217 - Population and Society Credits: (3)
THEOL 341 - Theology/The Environment Credits: (3)

Experiential Component(required for either Focus)

BIOL 398 - Independent Study Credits: (1-3)
BIOL 450 - Undergraduate Research Experience Credits: (1-4) OR
BIOL 480 - Internship Credits: (1-4)

Note

All students are required to take BIOL 225 Environmental Science (4) . All students will be required to complete an Experiential Component (i.e., research project, internship, or independent study), which will be planned in consultation with the Environmental Studies Program director. No more than three courses can count toward both major and minor requirements.

Special courses of study may be designed in consultation with the director. For example, students in the Environmental Policy and Values Focus may be allowed to count an approved science course toward the minor. Students may also request that the director approve credit toward the minor for courses not currently listed under environmental studies. To be considered, such requests must have prior approval from the course instructor and document that the student’s work will include significant elements of environmental studies.

The science department also administers a custom-designed environmental studies major under the University’s interdisciplinary major program described in the Environmental Science, B.S. Students interested in this major should contact the department chair as soon as possible.